A revealing selfportrait.

When I looked over at Marie-Dom’s site, she did a twinkle-in-the-eye selfportrait and I immediately thought it was a great idea. There has been quite a few selfportraits going around, all of them great. I’m thinking Anita, who did them all different and exciting(I’m only linking to this one post, but be sure to scroll down, she had done many!), and three-for-the-price-of-one from Suzanne, a very instructive series by a contemplating Diahn, a squinting Jana, an intense Martin, a first ever selfportrait by Serena, a dramatic Kate in the shadows and Joan, who took her lovely selfportrait on as a challenge, Linda who also showed us her beautiful first attempt, Ujwala, who tried her hand at a great monotype and Bill, who has his wonderful selfportrait, done in oil(I think?) on his home page. I am sure I missed many who did their selfportraits.

Compressed charcoal on paper

So here are my 7 revealing “things” – all of them to be found in the selfportrait above.

I can lift my one eyebrow while lowering the other. I can do it both left side and right side. It was usually the threatening face of disapproval I gave our children….and Hartman.

I have always worn bandannas and scarfs and bands and turbans and hats and all sorts of whateverings in my hair and on and around my head.

Aging eyes force me to resort to reading glasses lately. I’m zooming in and out trying to figure out life in small print.

Aging lips on the other hand, allow me to wear more dramatic colours. I have to stay away from shine now, but I can go for dramatic reds. I look stunning. Like Ava Gardner.

As compensation for all the rest that is sagging, my cheekbones are lifting. I wanted high cheekbones all my life. Like Sophia Loren.

I have an olive skin and dark circles under my eyes which may explain why I am mistaken for being Portuegese, Spanish, Greek, Egyptian, Iranien and Irakien many times.

I am not witty, but I have a good sense of humour and I laugh easily. I hope that’ll explain my wrinkles.

Whoever is reading here, you are invited to just simply reveal seven “things” about yourself.

GREAT image!!! I’ve been tagged too and was waiting for my computer to gear up in order to post … I won’t even attempt a self portrait … my last attemps were hilarious! But yours is spectacular, Ronnell!!!! And I can just see you in scarves!~!

Fantastic portrait! Full of wit and humour and made me smile very big!!!
Love the 7 things too. And other than Anita, I had no idea self-portaits were doing the rounds, so I plan to have a look at all the links you mentioned. Am so curious.
Take care
MD
x

Hi Ronell! Thanks for visiting my blog and for your inspirational message! I posted my rusted garden tool drawing in my work office to remind me about getting a grip on things. I love your self-portait. I see you’ve shown your ability with your eyebrows. It also looks like you’ve grown your hair out since you did the other self portrait on your blog. You have a great new blog since I last visited. I hope to get around the web more often this fall.

Thank you so much for your comment on the new Victoria magazine that just came out. I would have written you sooner however my blog has been frozen for about a week and I finally was able to figure out a work around and it is functioning now.

This charcoal is just lovely and the facial expression is wonderful, that quizzical look!

Mary – I have actually had long hair in that seflportrait too..it was just tied back…only had short hair once in my life, when I was very young and then I immediately started growing it again. I feel very “exposed” with short hair.

Really fun to read, I had to laugh! I agree with you in No. 5 (Sophia Loren);-)) Nice portrait, too!
By the way…if you want, I can explain to you how I do my stamps in the pages (I do it with Photoshop).

First of all I love to know a bit about you. Then I like the way you compare yourself to portuguese, being one I must say I am a bit out of the usual portugueses as my mother was from Trás-os-Montes on the north of Portugal where there are some blonds with skins like the north Europe people. I am not like my mother was and my sister is but I not the portuguese type. For the rest I love your humour and the way you deal with your selfportrait.

Lovely fluid lines. I too have reading glasses now so I sympathise, but they are very good for raising an eyebrow over whilst they rest low on the nose…

Funny you mention the brighter lipstick too – I now feel comfortable with red lips – always loved them, but couldn’t quite carry them off, now though…so maybe there are advantages to becoming older. I have also been tagged lately, but am not going to do it this time: there is a link back to my original tagged post on my new blog now, should anyone be interested!.

Woohooo! Another person ballsy enough to do a self portrait! Awesome Ronell! I love the lines! I have a feeling you’ve captured your essence really well here. Beautiful! BTW, thanks for the acknowledgement! 🙂

What a great portrait. I love how you’ve got your glasses and the light swirls in the background make it look as if you are feverishly drawing. Wonderful movement. I must try a self protrait some time.

A wonderful self-portrait, Ronell!!! People used to always comment about my high cheekbones when I was growing up but I hated them. lol I don’t mind having high cheekbones now though. 🙂 I loved reading your facts and could identify fully with the aging signs. I hate being dependent on my glasses to paint and read small print.

I love this drawing because it has so much character. The raised eyebrow is very expressive. It reminds me of one of my teachers. And the facts are interesting (and amusing)! I also have those dark circles under my eyes. My teachers in elementary school were always asking if I had gotten enough sleep. Did you also experience that? The answer then was, “Yes.” Now that I’m older and suffer from insomnia, the circles are more pronounced and the answer would almost always be, “No.” (And thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your kind comments. I’m trying to figure out the best way to put my art books on the blog. I took a peak at your list and had to order the “Loosen Up” book. I probably should have checked with you first. If it’s bad, don’t tell me now because it’s already on its way.)

I LOVE this self portrait — especially the eyebrows! And I went to the mirror to look — you’re right! As we age our cheekbones DO get higher!
Thanks for including me in your list of portraits and for the VERY big laugh this morning! 😀

I love your sketch. I have ALWAYS wished I could raise one eyebrow. You look so different from the picture on your blog with the short hair. Are they both you?
Nice work on your blog btw.. I enjoy your style.

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